Shower bath spray head



June 9, 1942. E. J. PENNYPACKER SHOWER BATH SPRAY HEAD Filed May 29, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Edward I] Zia packer 7 \TTORNEY.

June 9, 1942. E. J. PENNYPACKER 2,235,831

SHOWER BATH SPRAY HEAD Filed May' 29, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Edward J Panza/puke! INVENTOR. BW

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 9, 1942 SHOWER BATH SPRAY HEAD Edward J. Pennypacker, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Kay R. Braly, North Hollywood, Calif.

Application May 29, 1939, Serial No. 276,341

13 Claims.

My invention relates in general to shower spray heads, and relates in particular to a shower spray head of adjustable type.

The spray head or nozzle extensively used for shower baths comprises a spray head having a plurality of small openings through which jets of water issue. These openings are ordinarily quite small in size and readily become clogged by lime sand or other refuse carried in the water. In some localities water carries lime and other sediment including pipe joint compounds which are precipitated or caught in spray nozzles, .especially where the water has been heated to a relatively high temperature, the precipitated lime forming a crust which obstructs the spray openings and is very hard to remove.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a spray head so formed that it is consistently self-cleaning and may therefore be used over long. periods of time without attention.

It is an object of the invention to provide a shower spray head which may be adjusted to vary the characteristics of the spray delivered. A feature of my present invention is that the head may be readily adjusted while in use to produce a large volume. spray consisting of jets of Water issuing at either high or low velocity, asmay be desired, or a small volume spray of either high or low velocity jets.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shower spray nozzle which may be conveniently adjusted while in operation to produce a spray of relatively large streams of water or a spray which is like a heavy mist, and also to provide a device wherein the formation of separate jets is assured by the use of a resilient barrier applied with pressure to a wall having side by side flow channels in the face thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a spray. head having movable parts whereby a desired adjustment of the spray may be obtained, the movable partsbeing of such character that the water pressure thereagainst is substantially balanced so that adjustment may be accomplished while water pressure is applied.

movement of the gate. and the annular wallso that the gate may be brought into different positions of adjustmentbetweenthe ends of the flow channels.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a shower spray of'the character set forth in the preceding paragraph,.wherein the flow channels are disposed at different angles relative to a central axis. A feature of the invention is that these flow channels, although they vary in depth in accordance with the angles thereof, each have substantially the same increase in cross-sectional area from the inner to the outer ends thereof so that all of the jets issuing from the spray nozzle at any time will be of substantially the same size. For example, when the annular gate is disposed at the inner ends of the flow channel, fine jetsof a like size will issue from the nozzle, but at different angles of divergence and'for convergence relative to a central axis. As the flow channels are moved so as to carry the outer ends thereof towardthe gate or barrier, the jet size will increase, but all of the jets at any time will be of substantially the same size.

It is also an object ofthe invention to provide a spray head having an adjustable part supported so as to have limited axial and rotary movement, one of these movements controlling the character of spray jets or streams issuing from the head, and other of these. movements controlling a valve whereby the pressure of water delivered to the jets may be varied.

A further object of the invention is to provide aspray head of the character set forth in the preceding paragraphs which maybe readily assembled or disassembled, wherein the movement of. the adjustable parts may be accomplished by a single'lever connected so that it may be employed to move the adjustable parts either in axial direction or in circumferential direction, and wherein the operating members for producing adjusting movement of the cooperating parts of the spray head are outside thewater chamber so that no packing or sealing glands are required where the operating members pass'to the extenor.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the. specification.

Referring to. the drawings which are for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a preferred" embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 isan enlarged longitudinal section through the shower spray head shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-section taken substantially on a plane represented by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on a plane represented by the line 44 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a segment of the lower end of the spray head disclosed in the preceding figures.

Fig. 6.is an enlarged face view of one of the flow channels of the spray head having a bottom wall substantially parallel to the axis of the device.

Fig. 7 is a cross-section taken as indicated by the line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 3 is a face View of another form of flow channel wherein the bottom wall diverges at a slight angle.

Fig. 9 is a section taken on Fig. 8.

Fig, 10 is a face view of a flow channel having a bottom wall of greater divergence.

Fig. 11 is a section taken as indicated by the line "-4 I of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a face view of a channel having a bottom wall of maximum divergence.

Fig. 13 is a section taken as indicated by the line l3l3 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary partly sectioned View to show a form of the invention wherein the adjustment of the spray head is accomplished by two separate levers.

Fig. 15 is a cross-section taken on the line I5I5 of Fig. 14.

In Fig. l of the drawings, I show a spray head having a swivel or universal connection 2| by which it may be connected to a water supply pipe 22. The spray head has a pair of hollow parts connected for limited axial and rotary relative movement. In the preferred practice of the invention the inner of these two parts is stationary and the outer part movable thereon for the purpose of adjustment. In Fig. 2 I show an inner part or body 23 having at its upper end a counterbore or socket 24 which forms part of the universal joint 2| and receives therein the lower portion of a spherical body 25 connected by a neck 26 with a collar 21 internally threaded for connection to the end of the water supply pipe 22. A gasket 28, which may be made of heat resistant synthetic rubber, is seated at the bottom of the socket 24 to seal around the spherical body 25. An outer part or sleeve 29 is axially slidable and rotatable on the body 23. The sleeve 29 has a diametral enlargement 30 near its lower end and may be enlarged at its lower extremity to form a bell 3!.

The sleeve 29 has a cylindrical bore 32 extending from end to end thereof, and within the enlargement 30 arcuate recesses 33 are formed, these recesses being diametrally opposed, extending through arcs of less than 180, and being separated by wall sections 34, the inner faces 35 of which are cylindric so as to form a part of the cylindrical bore 32 of the sleeve 29. The bore 32 extends through an annular wall 36 at the lower end of the sleeve 29 in a position within the bell 3|, and provides an opening 31 at the lower end of the shell 39, the diameter or which is the same as the diameter of the bore 32. Flow channels 38, specifically identified as 38a, 38b, 38c, and 38d, are formed so as to extend upward or inward from the mouth of the opening 31 and in the inner face of the annular wall 36 at the lower end of the sleeve 29. These flow channels all enlarge downwardly or outwardly and have the the line 9-9 of forms described relative to Figs. 6 to 13 inclusive.

The body 23 has an opening 39 leading downward from the socket 24, and the body 23 has a lower end wall 49 which closes the lower end of the opening 39. An external channel 4| is formed at the lower end of the body 23 in a position close to the end wall 40, and in this channel 4| an annular gate member 42 is placed. This gate member 42 is preferably made from a rubbery material, such as a heat resistant synthetic rubber, and in the preferred practice of the inven-- tion, the cross-sectional area of the ring 42 may be rectangular substantially as shown.

The inner body 23 has an essentially cylindrical wall 43 extending from the lower end thereof to a shoulder 44, and extending upward from the shoulder 44 there is a cylindrical wall 45 of reduced diameter and on which a collar or flange 46 is formed to engage the bore 32 of the sleeve 29 so, as to act as a guide for the upper portion of the sleeve 29. The cylindrical wall portion 43 of the body 23 is a sliding fit in the bore 32 of the sleeve 29, and intermediate the lower ends of the wall 43 and the shoulder 44 oppositely disposed arcuate depressions 41, Fig, 4, are formed, the ends of these arcuate depressions or spaces 41 being separated by cylindric wall segments 48 which are diametrically opposed and in which water discharge openings 49 are formed. In Fig. 4, the body 23 is shown in such position relative to the sleeve 29 that the openings 49 are offset relative to the cylindric Wall members 34 of the sleeve 29 so that water may flow relatively freely from the interior space or opening 39 of the body 23 into the arcuate spaces 50 formed between the lower portions of the body 23 and the sleeve 29 by the arcuate recesses 33internally disposed in the sleeve 29 and the external depressions 41 of the body 23. By rotation of the sleeve 29 on the body 23 the wall members 34 of the sleeve 29 may be moved between positions closing the openings 49 or exposing such openings 49, the extent of offset of the walls 34 relative to the openings 49 determining the effective size of the openings 49, and thereby providing a control for the pressure of water applied through the arcuate spaces 50 to the upper ends of the flow channels 38. In the upper part of the wall portion 43, in a position adjacent the shoulder 44, there is an annular channel 5| which receives'an upper sealing means comprising a ring 42 which is preferably a counterpart of the ring 42 which serves as the gate member to control the characteristics of the streams or jets which pass downward through the flow channels 38.

For accomplishing relative movement of the body 23 and the sleeve 29, I provide a removable lever 52 having on its inner extremity a ball 53, and adjacent the ball 53 an oval section54. The sleeve 29 has an opening 56in the upper portion thereof through which the ball 53 and the oval section 54 may be passed to positions, such as shown in Fig. 2, wherein the oval section 54 will lie Within the opening 56 and have sufficient universal swinging movement to accomplish either axial or rotary movement of the shell 29 on the body 23. One side of the diametrally reduced wall 45 has a socket 51 to receive essentially half the ball 53. Leading outwardly from the socket 51there is a counterbore '58, forming an annular recess to receive a'sna-p ring 59, the inner diameter of which snap ring is slightly less than the diameter of the ball 53. This snap ring is held in the counterbore 58 by means of a securing ring-68 fixed in the counterbore 58 adjacent the snap ring59. Whenthe ball 53 is inthesocket 51, the snap ring 59 lies just outside or to the right of a medial plane through the ball 53 so that the contracting of the snap ring 59 will hold the ball 53 in the socket with sufficient 'force to hold .the handle or lever 52 in operative position. However, should it be desired to disassemble the parts, outward force exerted on the lever 52 will pull the ball 53 out through the snap ring 59 and then .throughthe opening'56 of the shell, after which the shell or sleeve may he slid downward off the body 23.

The lever 52 swings on the center of the socket 51, with the result that the oval section 54 of the lever slides. in and out of the opening '56 as the lever is swung through angular and radial positions; In Fig. 2'the lever isshown raised to the limit permitted by the engagement of the oval 54 with the shoulder 55 of the body 23. This raised position .of the lever 52 corresponds to the fully raised position of the sleeve 29 so that the lower portion of the gate member 42 is disposed at or near the lower ends of the flow channels 38. As the lever 52 is swung down from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, there will bea relative downward movement of .theupper ends of the flow channels 38 toward the gate member 42.

An especial feature of the invention is the manner in which the flow channels 38 are formed. These channels are shaped so that some of them will deliver converging jets of water, others will deliver substantially parallel jets, and others will deliver jets diverging at desired angles, so that there will be a substantially even distribution of water over a circular area external to and spaced from the spray head 20. In the preferred practice of the invention I employ four diiferent forms of .fiow channels 38a,

38b, 38c, and 38d, substantially evenly distributed around the circle defined by the opening 31 in which the flow chanels 38 are formed.

InFig. 6 I show a small section 36' of the an- .nular wall 36, drawn to enlarged scale. In this wall section 36 there is a flow channel 38a having downwardly or outwardlydiverging side walls 62, and a substantially straight bottom wall 63a as shown in Fig. 7. This bottom wall 63 is parallel to the aXis of the opening 31 of the spray head 20, with the exception that the upper portion 64 is curved or sloped toward the surface of the bore 32 of the sleeve 29 so that the upper inlet opening 65 of the flow channel 38a is very small.

In Fig. 8 I show another section of the annular wall 36 having therein a channel 3% which has ,a'bottom wall 6% having an upper portion 641) corresponding in slope to the upper portion 64 of the wall 63 shown in Figs; 6 and 7. The remainingportion of the wall 63b, below the upperportion 64b thereof, diverges downward and outward at a small angle, for example 2 /2.

In Figs. 10 and 11 I show to enlarged scale a flow channel 380 having side walls 62c,'a bottom wall portion 630, and an upper bottom wall portion-64c which slopes inward so as to correspond to'the upper wall portion 64 shown in Fig. 7 in order that the inlet'65c of the'flow channel 380 will be essentially the same size as the inlet 65.

The bottom wall portion 630 has greater divergence than-the bottom wall portion 63b shown in Fig. 9. Its divergence may be substantially relative to the axis of the opening31.

In Figs. 12 and 13 I show allow channel 38d converges toward the axis of the opening 31 so as to produce for the flow channel 38d an inlet 65d of the same cross-sectional area as the inlets 65, 65b, and 650 of the other flow-channels. In progressively considering the Figs. '6 to 12 inclusive, it will be noted that as the angle of divergence of the bottom wall of the flow channels increases, the angle of divergence of theside walls of such channels decreases. The relation of this increase and decrease in divergence is such that in any given plane perpendicular to the axis of the opening 31, and passing through all of the fiow channels,-' the area of cross-section of all of the channels will be the same. Where there is'a greater depth D of channel, there 'willbe a decreased width W of channel so that in any plane perpendicular to the axis of the opening 31 and cutting through the channels, the value W D=A will be such that the area A will be the same for all of the flow channels even though they may have different angles of divergence.

An additional important feature of the invention consists in the use of an annular gate member having the peripheral portion thereof held resiliently in engagement with the inner surface of the wall 36, Fig. 1, in which the flow channels are formed. The ring 42, being made of an elastic, rubbery material is held continuously in contact with the wall faces which separate the flow channel. Being of such elastic, rubbery material, the ring 42 need not be made undersize so as to provide clearance to compensate for expansion and contraction of the cooperating parts due to temperature changes, but ordinarily may be made slightly oversize so that the outer face of the gate member 42 will be pressed tightly against the face of the wall 36 to assure that each flow channel 38 will form a separate orifice. Therefore, the water issuing from the spray head 20 passes out only through the flow channels 38, and the size of the issuing streams of water for any given pressure of water depends only on the position of the lower portion of the ring 42 between the upper and lower ends of the flow channels 38. Referring to Fig. 1, swing of the lever 52 downward from the positionin which it is shown will move the sleeve down from the position thereof in Fig. 2 so that the gate'ring 42 will occupy various intermediate positions between the lower and the upper ends of the flow channels or a position at the upper ends of the flow channels so that the water can enter the flow channel onlythroughthe inlets 65 thereof, the result being that the jets of water issuing from the spray head 20 will be extremely fine and in the form of a heavy mist.

In Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings I have shown a form of my invention wherein a single lever is employed to move the sleeve 29 on the body 23 either in axial direction or rotary direction, or a combination of the two, whereby water pressure and jet size adjustments are accomplished by movement of a single lever. In Figs. 14 and 15 I show a manner in which these two movements of the sleeve may be accomplished through use on cylindrical bodies 61 formed at the inner ends of levers 68 and 69. These cylindrical bodies 61 have flanges 69 to retain the split rings 66 in place, and crank pins project eccentrically from the inner faces of the cylindrical bodies 61, respectively, into channels H and 12 in the body 23'. The channel I! i horizontally directed so that by rotation of the handle 68 in the split ring 66 by which it is supported the projecting crank pin 10 associated therewith will cause vertical or axial movement of the sleeve 29 on the body 23, and rotation of the handle 69 in its supporting split ring 66 will revolve the associate crank pin 10 in the vertical groove 12 and cause rotary movement of the sleeve 29 on the body 23. Accordingly, by manipulation of the levers 68 and 69 the sleeve 29 may be either moved circumferentially or axially on the body 23' to accomplish the desired adjustment of the annular gate relative to the flow channels and control of the valve.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a shower bath spray head of the character described, the combination of: a shell having an opening exposed to the exterior, said opening being defined by a substantially cylindrical wall having in its inner face outwardly enlarging flow channels; means for delivering fluid to the interior of said shell; a gate of resilient material of the character of rubber to engage said inner face of said wall and by extension across said flow channels forming of them flow orifices which enlarge outwardly; and means for holding said gate in a desired position of adjustment within said opening 50 that a selected portion thereof will lie between the ends of said flow channels.

2. In a shower bath spray head of the character described, the combination of: a shell having an opening exposed to the exterior, said opening being defined by a wall having in its inner face outwardly enlarging flow channels some of which diverge relative to other of said flow channels, said channels being of such form that they will all have substantially the same increase in cross-sectional area from end to end thereof; means for delivering fluid to the interior of said shell; an expansible gate engaging said inner face of said wall and by extension across said fiow channels forming of them flow orifices which enlarge outwardly; and means for holding said gate in a desired position between the ends of said flow channels.

3. In a shower bath spray head of the character described, the combination of: a shell having an opening exposed to the exterior, said opening being defined by a-wall having in its inner face outwardly enlarging flow channels some of which diverge relative to other of said flow channels, said channels being of such form that they will all have substantially the same increase in cross-sectional area from end to end thereof; means for delivering fluid to the interior of said shell; a gate to engage said inner face of said wall and by extension across said flow channels forming of them flow orifices which enlarge outwardly; and means for holding said gate in a desired position between the ends of said flow channels.

4. In a shower bath spray head of the character described, the combination of: a shell having an opening exposed to the exterior, said opening being defined by a wall having in its inner fa'ce'outwardly enlarging flow channels some of which diverge relative to other of said.

flow channels, said channels having substantially the same cross-sectional area at their inner ends and substantially the same larger cross-sectional area at their outer ends; means for delivering fluid to the interior of said shell; a gate of resilient material to engage said inner face of said wall and by extension across said flow channels forming of them flow orifices which enlarge outwardly; and means for holding said gate in a desired position between the ends of said flow channels.

5. In a shower bath spray head of the character described, the combination of: a shell having an opening exposed to the exterior, said opening being defined by a wall having in its inner face outwardly enlarging fiow channels some of which diverge relative to other of said flow channels, said channels being of substantially the same cross-sectional area at their inner ends and substantially the same larger cross-sectional area at their outer ends; means for delivering fluid to the interior of said shell; a gate to engage said inner face of said wall and by extension across said channels forming of them orifices which enlarge outwardly; and means for holding said gate in a desired position between the ends of said flow channels.

6. In a shower bath spray head of the character described, the combination of: a shell having an opening exposed to the exterior, said opening being defined by a wall having in its inner face outwardly enlarging flow channels; means for delivering fluid to the interior of said shell; a body in said opening, said body and said shell having relative axial movement for the purpose of adjustment; and a ring of resilient material on said body in a position slidable within said opening and confronting said wall so as to convert said flow channels into discharge orifices.

7. In a shower bath spray head of the character described, the combination of: a shell having an opening exposed to the exterior, said opening being defined by a wall having in its inner face outwardly enlarging flow channels some of which diverge relative to the other of said fiow channels, said channels being formed so that in any given plane between the ends thereof they will all have substantially the same cross-sectional area; means for delivering fluid to the interior of said shell; a gate of resilient material to engage said inner face of said wall and by extension across said flow channels forming of them flow orifices which enlarge outwardly; and means for holding said gate in a desired position between the ends of said flow channels.

8. In a shower bath spray head of the character described, the combination of: a pair of cooperating members, the outer of said members having a wall-forming an opening and the other having an external wall to substantially fit said opening, the outer of said walls having a substantially cylindrical surface with flow channels in the surface thereof, and the other of said walls having a groove therein facing the wall which has the flow channels therein; a gate member of rubbery material carried in said groove and having a cylindrical surface engaging said wall having said flow channels so as to convert said flow channels into discharge orifices; and means for delivering fluid under pressure to the interior of said outer of said cooperating members to be discharged through said discharge orifices.

9. In a shower bath spray head of the character described, the combination of: a pair of cooperating members, the outer of said members having an annular wall forming an opening and the other having an external wall to substantially fit said opening, ne of said walls having flow channels in the surface thereof which enlarge from the inner to the outer ends thereof, and the other of said walls being formed of a rubbery material; and means for delivering fluid under pressure to the interior of the outer of said members to be discharged through said fiow channels; and a single operating member having universal pivot connection with both of said cooperating members and being operable to impart relative axial and rotary movement to said cooperating members.

10. In a shower bath spray head of the character described, the combination of: a shell having a bore from end to end thereof, one end of said shell having an annular wall forming an opening at the end of said bore, said wall having outwardly enlarging flow channels in its inner surface; a body in said bore, said body having an expansible gate element thereon in a position confronting said inner face of said annular wall so as to extend across said flow channels and convert the same into discharge orifices and by axial movement relative to said channels to vary the size of said orifices, said body having a passage leading from an end thereof to the side wall thereof in said bore adjacent said gate element; a sealing ring on said body spaced from said gate element in said bore; means for delivering liquid into said passage; a wall carried by said shell in said bore thereof in a position to form a valve member for the inner end of said passage movable by rotation of said shell from closing relation with said inner end of said passage; and means for producing relative axial and rotary movement of said shell and said body.

11. In a shower bath spray head of the character described, the combination of: a shell hav ing a bore from end to end thereof, one end of said shell having an annular wall forming an opening at the end of said bore, said wall having outwardly enlarging flow channels in its inner surface; a body in said bore, said body having a gate element of resilient material thereon in a position confronting said inner face of said annular wall so as to extend across said flow channels and convert the same into discharge orifices, said body having a passage leading from an end thereof to the side wall thereof in said bore adjacent said gate element; a sealing ring on said body spaced from said gate element in said bore; means for delivering liquid into said passage; a wall carried by said shell in said bore thereof in a position to form a valve member for the inner of said passage movable by rotation of said shell from closing relation with said inner end of passage; and a lever having universal pivot connection with said shell and said body, operative to produce axial and rotary movement of said shell on said body.

12. In a shower bath spray head of the character described, the combination of: a shell having an opening formed by a wall, and a body in said here having a wall to confront said first named wall, one of said walls having grooves forming flow channels and the other of said walls comprising a Wall of rubbery material held in pres sural sliding contact with the wall having said grooves, so as to form of each of said flow channels a separate orifice; means to produce relative sliding movement of said wall of rubbery material and said wall having said grooves; and means to deliver water into said shell.

13. In a shower bath spray head of the character described, the combination of: a shell having a bore from end to end thereof, one end of said shell having an inwardly faced annular wall; a body extending substantially from end to end of said bore having an annular wall confronting said inwardly faced annular wall, at least one of said annular walls being formed so as to provide flow channels leading outward from the interior of said shell; annular sealing means between said shell and said body spaced from said annular walls; means for delivering water into said shell at a point between said sealing means and said annular walls; and means to produce relative movement of said shell and said body, said means comprising a lever mechanism having operative connection with said body and said shell externally of said space between said sealing means and said annular walls.

EDWARD J. PENNYPACKER. 

